Post-driver



(No Model.)

0. BIRNEY & A. LEASE.

POST DRIVER.

No. 443,424. Patentd Dec. 23, 1890.

Fig.2. V

fix 1 M nome ddison, ease,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER BIRNEY AND ADDISON LEASE, OF MEANS, OHIO.

POST-DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,424., dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed April 19, 1890! Serial No. 348,672. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OLIVER BIRNEY and ADDISON LEASE, citizens of the United States, residing at Means, in the county of Harrison and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post-Drivers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machines for driving posts for barb or other wire fences or for any required purpose.

The object of the invention is to facilitate the work of driving posts and provide a machine that is adapted for performing the work on level, hilly, or rolling ground.

The improvement consists in a pendent guide which will automatically adjust itself perpendicularly and in means for securing the same in the located position.

The improvement also consists in means for holding the guide in any position other than the perpendicularin case the machine should be moved forward too far or not advanced far enough.

- The improvement also consists in the instrumentalities for adjusting the frame to the nature of the ground, so that the guide may occupy a central position with reference to the truck-frame.

The improvement also consists in the novel features and the peculiar construction and combination of the parts, which hereinafter will be more fully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine constructed in accordance with and embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a detail View of the upper end of the pending guide, showing the operation of the grapple on the dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the guide about on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail side View, parts being broken away, of the adjustable guide-holdin g bar. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the clamp and camlever for holding the guide-bar in a located position on the truck-frame. Fig. 6 is a crossscction of the socket on the line '31 y of Fig. 1

on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the said socket Z Z of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, D represents the truck-frame, which is composed of the side bars d (I, the rear arched axle E, and the front bolster F, to which is connected the front axle f by the usual fifth-wheel. The purpose of having the rear axle E arched is to permit the free forward movement of the machine after the post is driven, the latter passing under the arch of the axle when the machine is d rawn forward.

The frame from which the guide G is suspended is composed of three posts H H H, which are connected at their upper ends by the plate I in such a manner that the said posts can have an independent motion and which are connected at their lower ends with the truck-frame in such a manner that they can be adjusted vertically for the purpose of bringing the guide G to the center of the truck-frame. The lower ends of the posts H are inserted in sockets K, which are connected with the truck-frame by screw-eyes or such like connections which will admit of the said sockets moving in any direction. The shafts L, journaled on a side of the sockets K, are provided with pinions Z, which work through a suitable opening in the sockets and mesh with a rack h on the opposing side of the posts H to effect an adjustment in a vertical direction of the said posts on turning the shafts L, said shafts being turned by means of crank Z provided on their outer ends.

The guide G is suspended from the plate I by means of the chains t and the bar 1', the latter having connections with the said plate I by the vertical connection 1' and suitable links. This guide is composed of two side pieces A A, which have vertical grooves a on their opposing faces which form ways for the driver J and the grapple-head M. The up per ends of the side pieces A are provided with cam projections c, which are adapted to engage with the upper ends of the grapple and release the driver J when the latter is at the upper end of its limit.

The hoisting-rope m is connected at its upper end with the grapple-head and passes over the pulley 'n, which is attached to the vertical projection i of the bar '6', and is connected at its lower ends to the windlass N, which is provided on one of the posts it or on any suitable part of the truck-frame. The guide-bar B, resting on the truck-frame, passes through keepers C on the guide G, and is provided with stops 1), which embrace the sides of the said caps and prevent any lateral movement of the said guide with reference to the said bars B. The clamps O embrace the bar 13 and engage with the side bars (Z of the said truck-frame, and are provided at their upper ends with cam-levers l, which serve to bind the said bars B on the truek-fraine at the required position.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Tlhemachinebeing drawn tothe desired place at which the postsare to be driven, the guide G is adjusted over the spot, so thatthc driver will rest upon thetopof the posts. The grapple is lowered by slacking the hoisting-rope n1 until it engages with the driver, when it is drawn upon to lift the said driver to the top of the guide, when the grapple will be dis engaged from the driver and permit the same to fall upon and drive the post. The opera tion will be repeated until the post is driven sufficiently in.tl1e ground. In casethe ground is uneven the post corres ionding with the low side of the truck-frame is adjusted until the guide G will swing to the center. The same is true if one end of the trueklrame is lower than the other, the post or posts being adjusted at the low end to compensate for the unevennessin the ground. In the event of the machine being drawn forward too far or not far enough the guide can be swung to the front or to the rear, as required, so as to bring the lower ends directly over the post to be driven, The positionot' the guide is fixed by clamping the guidc-barli to the truek-fra me, as hereinbefore specified.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters latout, is-

1. In a machine for driving posts, the combination, with the truck-frame and a pendent guide provided with the driving devices, of barl'i, having engagement with the pendent guide and adjustable on the truck-frame, the clamps O, embracing the sides of the bar ll and having engagement with the side bars of the truck, and the cam-levers l substantially as and for the purpose described. 1

52. In a machine for driving posts, the combination, with the truek-frame and a .pendent guide provided with the driving devices, of the guide-supporting frame comprising brace-bars, each of which has an independent vertical :uljustment relatively to the truckframe, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the truck-frame and the guide provided with the post-driving devices, of: the guide-supporting frame composed of posts, sockets connected with the truck-frame and adapted to receive the lower ends of the posts, and. means, as the rack 71 shaft 1), and pinion I, for adjusting the said posts with reference to the said sockets, substantiallyas described, for the purpose specilied.

l. In a machine for driving posts, the combination, with the truck-frame having side bars (1 and the pendent guide (1, provided with the post-driving devices, of thebarl adjustable on the truck-frame and having stops 1), which embrace the sides of the said guides, and having engagement with the said guide by means of the keepers C, and the clamping devices 0 and l for binding the said bar B on the truck-frame at the located position.

The hereinbefore-specified machine for driving posts, consisting of the truck-frame having its rear axle arched, the sockets K, having loose connection with the said truckt'rame, the posts It, having their low ends inserted in the said sockets and provided with racks 71, the shaft L, having pinion Z, which meshes with said rack 71, and having crank I, the guide G, suspended from the plate which connects the upper ends of said posts ll and provided with the post-driving de vices, the bar 13, inserted through keepers (J at the lowerend of guide G and having steps I, which embrace the sides of the said guides, and the clamps O and cam-levers P for holding the said bars I in the located position, substantially as described, it'orthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER ,UIIFLNEY. ADDISON LEASE. Witnesses:

Janus II Iowann, Jens M. GARVIN. 

